Antisemitic registration booklet for joining the movement “Defensive and Offensive Alliance of German Nationals.” ...

Antisemitic registration booklet for joining the organization Deutschvölkischer Schutz- und Trutzbund – “Defensive and Offensive Alliance of German Nationals” – one of the leading antisemitic organizations active in the Weimar Republic. At the head of the booklet appear the antisemitic principles of the movement, to which each new member was required to agree and sign. On the front: ink stamp of Kreisleitung 'Oberpfalz’ – the district leadership of Upper Palatinate (a region in Bavaria), representing the organization’s local branch in that area. Germany, 1920s.

At the opening of the booklet are presented the twelve antisemitic rules advocating for complete segregation and exclusion of Jews, which the League upheld. These rules represent the earliest historical appearance of what would later become the core of the Nuremberg Laws, enacted fifteen years later. Among the League's regulations are: “Never buy from Jewish department stores, and forbid your wife and children from doing so. Never transfer real estate property to a Jewish buyer. Do not consult any Jewish doctor or lawyer. Do not read Jewish newspapers—except for the purpose of learning about Jewry. Attend the theater, but when Jewish plays are being shown—do not go. Do not read Jewish novels. As a German student, avoid attending lectures by Jewish professors whenever possible. If you must, listen to them critically. Never vote for a Jew in elections, nor support candidates of parties associated with Jewry. As much as your circumstances allow, fight Judaism publicly. Avoid all social contact with non-Germans, and engage in business with them only if absolutely necessary.” The continuation of these rules appears on the back cover of the booklet.

Inside the booklet, identical pages appear consecutively, each serving as an application form to join the National League. At the top of every page is the declaration: "I hereby affirm that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, I am of German origin, and that neither my ancestors nor those of my wife are of Jewish blood." Each form also includes a pledge of annual financial contribution to the federation, and blank lines to be filled in with the applicant’s name, profession, place of residence, and date of birth. At the bottom of every page appears the slogan: "Germany for the Germans, by the Germans!"

The Deutschvölkischer Schutz- und Trutzbund was the largest antisemitic organization in Germany after World War I. Led by figures such as Alfred Roth (General Director) and Konstantin von Gebsattel (secret chairman), the group operated under a nationalist, antisemitic, and extreme right-wing ideology, seeking to "defend Germany" from what it described as “Jewish infiltration.” The organization viewed Jews as a central threat to Germany, blaming them for the country’s defeat in World War I, the economic crisis, social division, "foreign" cultural influences, and the corruption of national morale. Its aims included the boycott of Jewish businesses, the dissemination of antisemitic propaganda, and the promotion of a political discourse that would later influence Nazi ideology. The group organized mass rallies known as “Deutsche Tage” ("German Days"), where members delivered speeches, displayed flags and symbols, and gave voice to antisemitic messages. These public activities were meant to recruit supporters from the general population and to build a sense of community around their nationalist-racist agenda. These methods served as a foundational experiment in public mobilization—techniques that the later Nazi propaganda apparatus would adopt and refine. The organization was dissolved in 1924, but many of its members, including Dr. Ernst Röhm, went on to join the Nazi Party.

16 pages. Very good condition.